1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to linear guides and more particularly to a method of detecting a preload of a linear guide.
2. Description of Related Art
A linear guide comprises rolling elements, such as balls or rollers, a carriage, and a rail. The rolling elements circulate within the carriage to enable the carriage move along the rail undergo high-precision. However, due to the friction and collision between the rail and rolling elements, the linear guide is likely to vibrate in the course of high-speed motion, thereby ending up with a shortened service life. In an attempt to overcome the aforesaid drawback of the prior art, it is advisable to apply a preload to the linear guide with a view to enhancing structural rigidity and eliminating gaps.
Regarding a preload applied to a linear guide, the conventional test method entails calculating the friction between the rail and rolling elements according to the thrust required for the carriage and then calculating the range of the preload according to the linear relationship between the friction and the preload. However, the aforesaid test method has a drawback as follows: the friction is subject to errors arising from the environments of the linear guide, and in consequence the preload thus calculated is imprecise.